Electric heater



Feb. 9, 1937. H. A. TOURNIER 2,070,498

ELECTRIC HEATER Filed 030. 12, 1935 Inventor: Herman A.Tour*nier-,

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Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES amass 7 meme imam Herman Antoine Tournier, Bile, France, alignor" to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application December In France 12, 1935, Serial No.- 54,080 March 28, 1935 8 Claims. (Cl. 210-37) This invention relates to electric heaters, more particularly to electrically heated hot plates, and it has for its object the provision of an improved heating device of this character.

This invention, while it has more general application, is particularly useful in connection with heating elements of the sheathed type. such as described and claimed in the U. 8. patent to C. C. Abbott, No. 1,367,341, dated February 1, 1921.

Certain hot plates heretofore used are provided with a support for the heating element arranged to support both the heating element and a refiector under .it. In many of these plates, the terminals which are arranged to be connected to the electrical supply source, are eccentrically' arranged with reference to the hot plate.

This invention contemplates the provision of an electric hot plate in which the supply terminals are arranged centrally of the plate, and in which the reflector can be conveniently removed and replaced. In addition, it is an object of this invention to provide a heating plate of relatively low height so that it can be substituted for many of the cast-in heating plates now in use.

In accordance with this invention, the heating elements are eccentrically articulated with reference to the support. The ends of the elements are curved back toward the center for connection with'the supply terminals of the plate. The reflector is so arranged that it may be withdrawn and inserted laterally when the heating elements are slightly inclined. I

Fora more complete understanding of this invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is a central vertical sectional view of an electric hot plate arranged in accordance with this invention; Fig.2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but showing the plate in a different operative condition; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the hot plate of Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawing, this invention has been shown as applied to a hot plate comprising a support III, which, as shown, is in the form of a ring. This ring may be formed of any suitable material, such as cast iron. The ring I 0 is provided with three notches ii in its lower edge, which are 120 apart, and which are intended to rest on the edge of the screw Jacks (not shown) of the apparatus on which the plate is mounted. These screw Jacks, it will be understood, are provided for adjusting the height of the plate and also for preventing rotational movement of the plate relative to the apparatus.

' The support II is provided with a second ring 12 somewhat lower than the ring II and connected with the ring II by means of radial arms l3, preferably formed integrally with the rings II and II. The central ring I! supports a suitable connector member I which in turn supports-the electrical s pply or intake terminals ii. The member 14 will be made of any suitable electrically insulating material.

The heating unit is formed of a pair of heating elements it and I7 arranged one within the other. These elements preferably will be of the sheathed type such as described and claimed in the above-mentioned United States patent to C. C. Abbott. Briefly, these elementscomprise a helical resistance element l8 encased in a cylindrical metallic sheath is. The resistance element i8 is embedded in and supported in spaced relation with respect to the sheath by means of a compacted, heat conducting, electrically insulating material 20, such as magnesium oxide. As shown in Fig. 3, the heating element i8 is formed into a substantially circular convolution which embraces the heating element II, which is similarly formed. The terminal portions 2i and 22 respectively of the heating elements are located relatively close to each other adjacent the outer periphery of the heating element It, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

- The heating elements I 6 and I1 are supported on a cross-shaped grid 23 which rests upon the ring In at four points. At two of these points theerms of the grid are arranged to form a hinge type articulation between the heating unit and the support ill so that the unit can be ele-v vated on a horizontal axis extending transversely of the support. For this purpose, the ends of the arms adJacent the terminal side of the heater are pivotally connected to upright hinge lugs 24 provided on the upper edge of the ring ll by means of suitable pins 25, which may be in the form of cotter pins. The ends of the other two legs of these supports 28 are arranged to move between spaced upright lugs 2! provided on the ring ll so as to act as guides for the heating elements.

As shown, the terminal ends 2! and 22 of the heating elements are curved downwardly and inwardly upon themselves to form substantially U-shaped terminal portions for the heaters; They are turned backwardly in this fashion in order that they may be conveniently connected to the centrally arranged supply terminals I5. Asshown, they are connected with the terminals by means of suitable insulated leads 21.

Preferably, the axis of movement of the heating unit on the lugs 24 will be somewhat nearer to the center of the heating plate than the curved terminal portions of the heaters, as shown in the drawing.

A metallic shield or screen 22 is rigidly secured to the heating elements, as by means of. brazed joints 20. This metallic screen is so arranged that when the heating elements are in their operative positions, as shown in Fig. 2, it a .will cover the inner ring l2. Preferably, the

screen 28 will be provided with a down-turned flange 30 which embraces the ring, as shown in connection the screen 28 is moved with it, as

shown in Fig. 1.

A removable reflector plate 3| 'is placed between the screen 28 and the bottom of the grid 23 that supports the heating elementaas shown in Figs. 1 and 2., The reflector plate 3| rests upon the radial arms l3 when the heating elements are in their operative positions in Fig. 2. However, when the heating elements are rotated on the lugs 24, the reflector'plate moves with them between the grid 23 and the shield 28 as a unitary structure. In order to remove the reflector plate, it is merely necessary to move the heating unit to its position shown in Fig. 1 and then slide the reflector plate laterally toward the right, as viewed in this figure. It will be observed that --when the heating unit thus elevoted the leads are not stretched, but on the contrary are moved inwardly slightly toward the center of the hot plate. The reflector can be inserted by tilting the unit, as in Fig. 1, and sliding the plate inwardly toward the left.

The hot plate of this invention provided with itscentrally arranged intake terminals can be mounted in apparatus such as kitche'n'ranges,

chafing dishes, etc.; and is ve'ryconvenient touse. in that the reflector is easily removable for cleaning purposes and for replacement when this becomes necessary. While I have shown atparticul'ar embodiment or my invention, it will be understood, of course,

that. I do not ,wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the, appended claims to cover any such modifications as {all within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United-States is:

1. An electric hot plate comprising a support,

a heating element mounted on said-support, a removable reflector on said support below said heating element, a pivotal connection between said heating element and said support positioned eccentrically of said support'so that said heating element can be elevated sufllcien'tly with reference to said support to provide for lateral insertion and removal of said reflector, electrical supply terminals mounted substantially centrally of said support, the terminal ends of said heating element being positioned adjacent the axis of movement of said heating element and turned inwardly toward the center of said plate, and means connecting the terminals of said heating element with said supply terminals.

2. A hot plate comprising a support, a heating element resting'on said support, supply terminals for said heating element supported beneath said supportsubstantially centrally thereor. a removable reflector resting on said support below said heating element, a pivotal connection between'said heating element and said support positioned laterally of said supply terminals, whereby=said heating element can be elevated on an axis extending transversely of said support to provide for lateral insertion and removal of said reflector, the terminal ends of said heating element being Positioned adjacent the axis of movement of said heating element on said support and being curved downwardly and inwardly toward said supply terminals, and leads having a pair of concentrically arranged ring members, an electrical heating element resting on the larger of said ring members, the terminal ends of said heating element being positioned adjacent the periphery of said ring member, means .pivotally'connecting said heating element to saidring member adjacent said terminal ends of said heating element whereby said heating element can be elevated withreference to said support, a reflector member on said support-below said heating element arranged to be inserted beneath said support and removed therefrom when said heating element is elevated with reference to said support, electrical supply terminals supported by said inner ring beneath said support, theterminal ends of said heating element curving downwardly and inwardly toward said supply terminals, leads connecting said supply terminals with said heating element and a shield resting on said inner ring and rigidly secured to said heating element so as to be moved with said heating element as a unitary structure when said element is moved on its axis of rotation.

4. An electric hot plate comprising a support. having-an outer ring, an inner ring positioned in a plane lower than said outer rin'g'and radial arms rigidly securing said rings together, a grid resting on the top of said outer ring, a heating element supported on said grid, the terminal ends of said heating element being arranged adjacent each other at the periphery of said outer ring and turned downwardly and inwardly toward said inner ring, electrical supply terminals supported by said inner ring beneath said support, leads connecting said supply terminals with the inturned terminal ends of said heater, 9. reflector plate positioned below said grid resting on said radial arms, means pivotally connecting said grid shield plate to the inturned ends of said heating element so that said shield moves ,with said heating element as a unitary structure when said element is moved on its axis with reference to said support. 7 a

5. An electric hot-plate comprising a support, a sheathed heating element on said support having its terminals at one side of said support, supplyterminals for said heating element below said support substantially in the center thereoLcon- 'nection leads above said support and below said heating element passing from said terminals of said heating element inwardly to the center of said support where they are directed through an .opening in said support to said supply terminals below said support, and a shield betweensaid heating element and said leads and opening.

6. A hot plate comprising a support, a grid on said support, a heating element on said grid, .a removable reflector below said grid, hinge lugs on said support and cotter pins directed through said lugs and parts of said grid pivotally connecting said grid to said support so that said grid can be tilted with reference to said support to provide for insertion andremoval of said reflector. 

